The Commission's Recommendations

June 10, 1986

-- Changes in the design of the booster rocket joint and seal, with the National Research Council, an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, overseeing. The panel said cost or schedule constraints should not stand in the way.

-- Shuttle management should be strengthened, and astronauts should be included in decision-making. A safety advisory panel should monitor flight preparation.

-- NASA should review all critical shuttle systems, and an audit panel appointed by the research council should ''verify the adequacy of the effort.''

-- NASA should set up an office of safety, reliability and quality assurance reporting directly to the administrator.

-- Management at the Marshall center should be strengthened and shuttle commanders should take part in meetings clearing a flight.

-- NASA must improve shuttle landing safety, and shuttles should not land at the Kennedy Space Center until the brakes, tires and nose-wheel steering systems are improved.

-- NASA should make every effort to provide a crew escape system for use during controlled gliding flight.

-- The nation should reduce reliance on shuttles to get satellites into orbit. NASA also must establish a flight rate to suit resources available.

-- Maintenance procedures for critical shuttle systems should get extra care and NASA should develop a comprehensive inspection plan.